In its efforts to generate revenues outside the DRAM market, Elpida
Memory recently said that it would open up its 300mm fab operations in
Japan to foundry work. Although not a typical foundry deal, Elpida has
announced that it has formed a joint venture with NEC Electronics in
which it will hold a 20 percent stake to fabricate display driver ICs.
Both companies will work on the design, development and sales with
production carried out at Elpida’s 120,000wspm 300mm facility in
Hiroshima.

The companies said that they would use Elpida's DRAM process technology
knowledge to rapidly scale the devices to be competitive in the market.